Car-coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet 1Y (No Model.\A

P. BIEN.

GAR GOUPLING.

10.487,926. Patented Dee. 13, 1892.

/Q /Invev-f @y @y v 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2..

(No Model.)

P. BIEN; GAR GOUPLING.

l No. 487,926.' Patema Deo. 1s, 1892.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILLIP HIEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,926, dated December 13, 1892. Application iiled July l, 1822. Serial No. 438.678. (No model.)

To all whoml t may concern:

Be it knewn that I, PHILLIP HIEN, a citizenv of the United States, residing at Chicago, iny

ments in Car-Couplers; and I hereby declare' the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a horizontal section of a coupler embodying my invention, taken on the line w w, Fig. 2, the parts being in the position they occupyl when the cars are coupled up and the dotted line indicating the position when the cars are uncoupled. Fig. 2 is a vertical' section on the line x, Fig. l, showing the position of the parts when the vibrating locking-block has been set for uncoupling, the unlocking-pin being shown in dotted lines to indicate its relation to the vibrating block whereby it prevents the accidental forward movement of the block. Fig. 3 is a front perspective .view of the vibrating block in the position it occupies when set for uncoupling.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the Vibrating locking-block, showing the end which is next to ing` the pivot-pin of the knuckle and the Vwasher on which it rests formed with in-l clines which cause the knuckle to,drop or swing open when the locking-block is raised.l

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section onthe line z z,

Fig. 2, showing the recess in the knuckle and? the lug on the pivot-pin, whereby the partsl are caused to move as one. Fig. S is a detachedviewof the pi vot-pin of theknuckle, and'g Fig. 9 is a detached view of the washer or step which receives the lower end of the pivot-pin of the knuckle. Fig. 10 is a detached View of the knuckle, showing the preferred form 0f the tail-piece, whereby it is better adapted tocoact with the several inclines on the vibrating locking-block.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplers commonly termed twin-jaw couplers, wherein are combined a pivoted nose or Fig. 5 isv knuckle and a locking-block for securing the same when the cars are coupled up, and has for its several objects, first, to actuate and control the locking-block by the inward movement of the tail-piece of the knuckle when said locking-block is raised or in the position for uncoupling and the knuckle is open, as after uncoupling; second, to control the locking-block by the unlocking-pin, so that the locking-block when once set for uncoupling cannot be accidentally displaced by the coucussion of the cars or otherwise.

To accomplish the [irst object I have in View, I provide an incline on the lower part ofthe vibrating block, said incline adapted to engage the tail-piece of the knuckle on its inward movement and cause the lockingblock to rock forward toward the effective end of the coupling and rest upon the tailpiece, and said construction or itsequivalent for said purpose embraces the first feature of my invention.r

To accomplish the second object I have in view, I provide an incline on the top of the locking-block adjacent to the unlocking-pin and a corresponding incline or lug on the side of the unlocking-pin adjacent to the lockingblock, which parts coact to maintain the locking-block in a raised position when the locking-block is set for uncoupling, and said combination or its equivalent for said purpose embraces a second feature of my invention.

There are other minor features of invention, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I will now proceed to describe myinvention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates 'the usual hollow stem of the draw-bar, provided with the head B, having the guard-finger C and the journal D for the pivoted nose or knuckle E, said nose having a tail-piece e, which coacts with the locking-block F. Within the head, at opposite points, are suitable pierced abutments l la for the reception of a journal-pin 2, on which Vibrates a locking-block F, and the abutment l, adjacent to the guard-finger C, is also pierced vertically, as at b, for the reception of the unlocking-pin 4, or the pin by which the vibrating locking-block is raised and set for uncoupling.

F indicates the vibrating locking-block,

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which may be of any irregular form which will afford the hereinafter-specified inclines to coact with the tail-piece e of the knuckle E and with the pin 4.

The general form of the vibrating lockingblock, as chosen for purposes of illustration, may be said to be the segment of a worm-gear having a vertical face 5, which shall engage and hold the tail-piece e of the knuckle (see Fig. 1) when the coupling is made, and a somewhat spiral-shaped groove or forward incline 6, which permits the block to ride upon the tail-piece e when said tail-piece niovesinward, as in making a coupling. Immediately below the spiralA incline 6 and projecting forward thereof when the vibratingV locking-block is raised, as shown in Fig. 3 is an incline 7, the lowest point of which is next to the face or end- 5 of the locking-block, and said incline 7 serves to engage the tail-piece e in its outward movement, (from the full line to the dotted line, Fig. 1,) and thus cause the raised locking-block to rock or vibrate downward and forward onto the tail-piece, or toward the eifective end of the coupler, in the act of uncoupling. A 'third incline 7a, arranged in reverse direction to incline 7 and having its lowest point adjacent to the unlocking-pin, is provided, and said incline, when the vibrating locking-block is raised, as shown in Fig. 3, engages the tail-piece e of the knuckle E as said tail-piece movesinward in making a coupling and likewise causes the locking-block to rock forward and downward on the tail-piece, or toward the effective end of the coupling. It will also be noted that in viewing said vibrating locking-block in it-s raised position, as shown in Fig. 3, or when set for uncoupling, the incline 6 is substantially above the axis of the block F, while the reversely-arranged inclines 7 and 7u are below the axis thereof. It will thus be seen that by means of said three inclines coacting at different times with the tail-piece e of the knuckle provision is made for controlling the lockingblock from the tail-piece in making a coupling, no matter whether the vibrating locking-block be raised or lowered.

By means of the forward or spiral incline 6 the locking-blockislifted by the inward movement of tail-piece e, if said block is down, and when the tail-piece has passed the block will fall and make the coupling, as shown in Fig. 1.

If the locking-block is raised and not in position to make a coupling, the tail-piece e in its inward movement will strike incline 7a and rock the locking-block forward until it rests on the tail-piece-that is to say, will rock the locking-block toward the effective end of the coupling; and, again, when the lockingblock F is raised for uncoupling the tail-piece e as it swings out strikes the incline 7, and thus in the act of uncoupling rocks the locking-block forward toward the eective end of the coupling, so as to set the block for the subsequent act of coupling. In order to obtain the best results, it is desirable to shape the end of tail-piece e so as to adapt it to engage smoothly with said inclines 6 7, and I therefore prefer to bevel the forward under end of the tail-piece e, as at 17, to engage the incline 7 and the upper rear surface of the tail-piece e, as at 16, to engage the spiral forward incline 6.

In addition to the three inclines 6, 7, and 7a on the face of vibrating locking-block F, I provide the end thereof next tothe lockingpin 4 with an incline 10 (the object of which will hereinafter appear) and with a recess or open seat 9 for the reception of a lug, offset 4C, or its equivalent on one side of the unlockingpin 4.

4 indicates the unlocking-pin, arranged in the vertical pin-slot b adjacent to the guardfinger O, and it is provided with a lug or offset 4C, adapted to engage the locking-block in the recess 9 and lift the same when the unlocking-pin is raised by its lever, (not shown,) to which it is connected by the usual chain, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2. It will be noted that this construction and arrangement of unlocking-pin and with lug 4c entering open recess 9 allows the unlocking-pin 4 to return to its first position after the vibrating locking-block F has been raised or set for uncoupling and also permits the lockingblock to be raised without disturbing the unlocking-pin 4.

In order to prevent the accidental fall of the vibratinglocking-block F after it has been raised and set by the unlocking-pin 4, I provide an incline or beveled offset l0 on the side of the pin at its upper part, (see Fig. 5,) which incline 10a when the pin 4 is allowed to drop to its first position (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) rests in front of incline 10 on the end of the vibrating locking-block F and prevents its acci'dental forward displacement. Owing, however, to the construction, (viz., inclines,) when force is directly applied to the locking-block F by the tail-piece e striking either of the inclines 7 or 7 the pin 4 will lift and release the IIO vibrating locking-block and permit it to fall forward toward the effective end of the coupling. In order to prevent the accidental arrest of the locking-block F in the raised position when said locking-block is lifted by the tailpiece e, a recess 11is formed just back of the incline 10 on the end of the locking-block, so that when the lug or incline 10L on the unlocking-pin 4 has once passed back of the incline 10 and entered recess 11 the vibrating locking-block F is prevented from moving farther back, (or away from the effective end of the coupling,) but must fall forward on the tailpiece e and drop thence into the coupling position.

In order to cause the knuckle E to automatically open, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, when lthe locking-block is raised and with the greatest certainty and least degreefof friction, I provide the pivot-pin d of the knuckle with a lug 12, adapted to engage in a recess 12a, so that pin and knuckle move together, and the lower end of said pin I provide with an incline or inclines 13, stepping the same on a step or washer 14, having inclined faces 15, the whole arranged so that the weight of the knuckle E shall cause it to swing outward when released. The pivot -pin d of the knuckle is usually introduced from below, and the step, seat, or washer 14 may be removably held by apin 14fL or other suitable means and is usually slotted, as at s, to prevent the accumulation of cinder, sand, or dust, which would interfere with the free motion of the parts.

The operation ofthe hereinbefore-described coupler, except where the same has been indicated when describing the construction, is similar to all couplers of the twin-jaw type,

'and therefore need not be specifically set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted knuckle or nose, of a vibrating locking-block having an incline arranged below the axis of said block when the block is raised and adapted to engage the tail-piece of the knuckle on the inward movement thereof, whereby the locking-block is caused to revolve toward the effective end of the coupling, sub` stantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination,with a pivoted knuckle or nose, of a vibrating locking-block having two inclines, one above and the other below the axis of the block, said inclines adapted to engage the tail-piece of the knuckle on its inward movement, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted knuckle or nose, of a vibrating lockin g-block havin gtwo reverse inclines arranged below the axis of the block, one of said inclines adapted to engage the tail-piece of the knuckle on its inward movement and the other on its outward movement, substantially as and for the purposes specified. Y

4. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted'knuckle or nose, of a vibrating locking-block having three inclines, one of said inclines adapted to engage the tail-piece of the knuckle on its outward movement and two adapted to engage said tail-piece on its inward movement, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted knuckle or nose having a tail-piece adapted to move the locking-block, of a vibrating locking-block and an unlocking-pin adapted to retain the vibrating block in a raised position until said block is struck by the tail-piece, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted knuckle or nose having atail-piece adapted to actuate the locking-block, of a vibrating locking-block having an incline on the end next the unlocking-pin and an unlockingpin having a lug or incline on its upper part and adjacent to the vibrating locking-block to coact with the aforesaid incline on said block, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

'7. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted knuckle or nose having a tail-piece adapted to actuate a lockingdolock, of a vibraiing locking-block having an incline and a recess in rear thereof, both on that part of the block adjacent to the unlocking-pin, and an unlocking-pin having an inclined projection or lug on its upper part adjacent to the said incline and recess of the vibrating locking-block and adapted to coact therewith, substantially as and for the purposes specied.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with I a pivoted knuckle or nose having a tail-piece adapted to actuate a locking-block, of a vibrating locking-block having two reverse inclines arranged below its axis and an incline on its end next the unlocking-pin and an unlocking-pin having an incline adapted to engage the incline on the end of the vibrating locking-block, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. In a car-coupling, thecombination, with the knuckle or nose, of a pivot-pin having inclines on its lower end and an inclined step for the pivot-pin, said step having an opening for the escape of cinder, sand, dac., substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the knuckle or nose, of a detachable pivot-pin having inclines on its lower end, said parts being constructed to move together, a head having a washer or step seat, and a removable washer or step having inclines for the foot of the pivot-pin, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 29thday 'of J une, 1892.

' PHILLIP HIEN. Witnesses:

DANIEL B. MAsoN, ROBERT C. J ANNEY.

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